IndexAbstractIntroductionTargeting specific groupsExaggeration of eventsOverall influence on population, entertainment, and media, and proliferation of paranoiaAbstractThree notable mass hysterias throughout time include the Salem witch trials of 1692, the McCarthyism era of the 20th century, and the clown sighting hysteria of 2016. Since these events may seem to have nothing in common, this article delves into the similarities of these particular events. This article analyzes and compares the characteristics of mass hysteria that are clearly manifested in each of these cases with supporting evidence from the time. Points in this document include the targeting of specific groups, exaggeration of events, and the proliferation of paranoia. From witches to communists to clowns, an understanding of mass hysteria events and the mass panic and anxiety associated with them should be developed by the reader. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay IntroductionFor a variety of reasons, panic and paranoia can be widespread. One of the main reasons for widespread panic and paranoia is mass hysteria. Mass hysteria is defined as a phenomenon that transmits collective illusions of threats, real or imagined, through a population in society as a result of rumors and fears. Three major mass hysterias include the Salem witch trials of 1692, the 20th century McCarthy era, and the clown sighting hysteria of 2016. While there may be many differences in the events, these three hysterias share similar characteristics including threats, panic and anxiety. caused by real or imaginary sources. As seen in the historical events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, the McCarthy era of the 20th century, as well as the clown sighting hysteria of 2016, panic and anxiety can be heavily caused by targeting of specific groups, exaggeration of events, and proliferation of paranoia. Targeting Specific Groups In each of these mass hysteria events, the main focus was on attacking, targeting, or persecuting a certain group of people. In the case of the Salem witch trials of 1692, suspicion and panic were high due to accusations of mass witchcraft, aimed primarily at women. From analyzing the statistics of the Salem witch trials, it is evident that many of the witchcraft accusations were made by men against women. One reason for men's blaming of women may have been the fear that one day women will become superior to them. This fear stemmed specifically from the failure of some women to fulfill their role in Puritan society, which included motherhood and meeting all of men's needs. Along with these women, even those without brothers or children, who were able to inherit land, were vulnerable to accusations so that men could ensure that the male inheritance system would be upheld, which is why more women were accused of witchcraft what women. men. Carol Karsen had examined 344 cases in which New England residents were accused of witchcraft between 1620 and 1725 and found that 78 percent of those accused were women. During the 20th century era of McCarthyism, also known as the Red Scare, communists were the primary target. If anyone was discovered to be a communist, they were heavily interrogated and tried, which fueled mass anxiety throughout the country. Communists were mainly targeted because of past fears around the world,causing the United States to feel seriously threatened by communists or “reds” taking control of their government. Events around the world that have heightened anxiety about the Red Scare in the United States include when the Soviet Union tested a nuclear bomb and Communist forces led by Mao Zedong took control of China in 1949, as well as the War of Korea in the early 1950s. The Communists were thought to pose an extreme threat and were therefore subjected to congressional hearings, led primarily by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. In 2016's Clown Sighting Hysteria, anxiety and panic were caused by random sightings of creepy clowns and incidents of killer clowns. This hysteria may have been spurred by the 2016 election and Donald Trump's political views, which led people to associate him with the clown image. Donald Trump had been an agent of chaos, so clowns were used to symbolize this “clownesque” behavior. Clowns have also been used as an element of the aforementioned fear, channeling the “fear of the other”, as Trump does towards immigrants. Many clown sightings were aimed directly at children, creating unwarranted fear of what should be an innocent party figure. Major events during this hysteria included the stalking of children, as seen in the first incident in South Carolina, which led to more and more children developing a fear of clowns. Exaggeration of Events In these cases of hysteria, widespread exaggeration of events led to excessive panic. and anxiety. In the Salem witch trials, the witches' "attacks" were overly exaggerated by the accusers. To add unnecessary fuel to the fire, these accusers would claim to have been physically attacked by the witches, such as being punched or saying that the accused was making them squirm. Along with this, the accusers may have claimed to see things that never really existed, as if the accused had made them appear. This is demonstrated when several girls exaggerated the sight of a cock in Act IV of The Crucible to get what they wanted and make the judges believe that Mary Warren truly possessed them as a witch. During the era of McCarthyism, the danger of the communists taking over the country was greatly exaggerated. The US government was extremely afraid of communists taking power due to Soviet and other incidents, so they feel the need to interrogate and get rid of all communists. Joseph McCarthy overexaggerated this concept to the point that he led the United States to believe that just a few communists in the country would suddenly take over the government and the country would become communist, which was not true at all. This exaggeration, however, led to panic, anxiety and fear among communists and communist sympathizers across the country. Every communist is seen as a threat. In the clown sighting hysteria, social media posts and panicked, anxious people have over-dramatized and exaggerated clown sightings. During the period of hysteria, Twitter and Instagram “clown” accounts created posts threatening certain areas and people. For example, posts that say things like “We are coming to kill you, be careful” were created to scare the target audience into thinking clowns were coming. Fear and anxiety may have been raised through the creation of fake videos of first-hand clown sightings. While videos like the one mentioned might be fake and implausible, the sight of a creepy clown in someone's social media feed could still be alarming and cause more.